Unburdened – Giving God Our Anxiety

Texts: 1 Peter 5:6–7; Philippians 4:6–7 Big Idea: Our fears and worries cause anxiety and panic, but we can give God our anxiety and receive His peace. Application Point: We will give our anxiety to God and let Him give us peace in our times of panic.

Prayer of Illumination

Father, as we hear Your Word today, help us to cast every care on You. Replace our fear with faith and our anxiety with Your peace. Amen.

Introduction

A man once decided to take a long hike through the mountains. He packed everything he thought he might need — clothes, food, tools, even some “just in case” items. But halfway up the trail, he was exhausted. When another hiker stopped to help, they discovered the problem: his backpack was full of bricks.

That’s what anxiety does to us. We keep adding worries — some real, some imagined — until we can’t move anymore. The hike of life becomes heavy and joyless.

And Jesus says, “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Question: What bricks are you carrying that God never asked you to?

Everyone knows what anxiety feels like — the racing heart, the tight chest, the thoughts that won’t stop. Sometimes it comes like a storm; other times, it’s a quiet ache that never leaves.

But here’s the truth: God never designed us to carry anxiety. Our fears and worries cause panic and restlessness, but we can give our anxiety to God and receive His peace in return.

1. Recognize the Problem – Fear Fuels Anxiety

The knot in your stomach, sweaty palms, hard to breathe, feeling like you’re dying — that’s what panic can feel like. Anxiety and panic come from worry, and worry grows out of fear.

Healthy Concern vs. Paralyzing Fear

Healthy Concern (Worry):

God wired us with the ability to notice danger and prepare for it.

A little worry can keep us responsible — locking the door, preparing for a test, driving carefully.

Jesus even said, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation” (Matt. 26:41). That’s awareness leading to wise action.

Paralyzing Fear (Anxiety):

Anxiety takes that concern and turns it into control.

It paralyzes us — our mind runs in circles, our heart races, and peace feels impossible.

Anxiety doesn’t just warn of danger — it convinces us danger is everywhere.

It makes us carry tomorrow’s weight today.

The Smoke Alarm Story (Practical & Relatable)

One night a man woke up to the sound of his smoke alarm blaring. He jumped out of bed, heart pounding, only to realize it wasn’t smoke — it was low battery warning. That alarm did its job: it got his attention. But imagine if it wouldn’t stop, even after he changed the batteries and checked the house. After a while, the alarm itself becomes the problem.

That’s what anxiety does. Worry is like a smoke alarm — it alerts us to pay attention. But anxiety is when the alarm won’t stop, even when there’s no fire. It keeps ringing in our minds until we can’t rest, can’t think, can’t breathe.

God never meant for us to live that way. He designed us to hear the warning — and then trust Him with the fire.

God knows we will experience worry. But He never designed us to live in anxiety. His Word invites us to cast our burdens on Him so that our concerns lead us to trust, not torment.

Reality check: 

According to the National Institutes of Health, nearly 1 in 3 of all adolescents ages 13 to 18 will experience an anxiety disorder. These numbers have been rising steadily; between 2007 and 2012, anxiety disorders in children and teens went up 20%” (Claire McCarthy, “Anxiety in Teens Is Rising: What’s Going On?,” HealthyChildren.org, updated November 11, 2019. Screens. Let’s put them down and experience God’s presence and peace.

Biblical reality: Anxiety is nothing new, and the Bible is filled with characters who trusted God in their very real anxiety. “History offers a long list of faithful God-followers who fought anxiety or depression, some for much of their lives—Moses, Gideon, Jeremiah, Job, Elijah, Jonah, Hannah. Even King David struggled, as evidenced by his psalms. … Anxiety does not discriminate. It takes the strong and the weak, the cheerful and the heavy hearted, the spiritual giant and the spiritual lightweight.

Anxiety doesn’t discriminate. It touches the strong and the weak, the cheerful and the heavy-hearted, the spiritual giant and the struggler alike.

Key Transition:

God knows we will experience worry. But He never designed us to live in anxiety. That’s why His Word invites us to cast our burdens on Him, so that our concerns lead us to trust, not torment.

2. Release the Pressure – Cast Your Cares

1 Peter 5:6–7 NASB 2020

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time, having cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares about you.

The key word is “casting.” It means to throw — not a gentle handoff, but an act of surrender.

What Casting Requires

Humility: We admit we can’t carry it alone.

Dependence: We rely on God’s strength instead of our own.

Trust: We believe that God’s mighty hand is both powerful and caring.

When we humble ourselves, we give God permission to move in our lives. When we rely on His goodness, we find confidence in Him instead of ourselves.

Psalm 55:22 NASB 2020

Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.

The cares that crush us cause no strain to God. No problem is too big or too small for Him.

Illustration – Martha in Bethany

Martha was anxious and upset, rushing around to prepare the perfect dinner for Jesus. She thought her many dishes mattered most, but Jesus reminded her that Mary had chosen the better part — sitting at His feet.

Martha’s stress came from pride — the pressure to perform and prove her worth through service. We fall into the same trap, piling expectations on ourselves until we collapse under them.

When we cast our cares on God, He changes how we see them. We discover that many of our worries are born not from His priorities but from our pride.

Anxiety grows out of pride, but peace grows out of trust.

The Cure for Anxiety: Prayer

Paul wrote Philippians 4:6–7 while imprisoned. He knew that anxiety doesn’t change circumstances — but prayer does.

Philippians 4:6–7 NASB 2020

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians & Colossians C. Joy in God’s Peace (vv. 4–9)

The cure for anxiety? Prayer! Worry and anxiety come from focusing on your circumstances such as imprisonment or persecution which Paul and the Philippians faced. Anxiety or worry doesn’t accomplish anything, but prayer does

Prayer transfers the weight.

Worry looks inward. Prayer looks upward.

Worry focuses on problems. Prayer focuses on God.

Worry drains our energy. Prayer restores our peace.

Paul gives us a pattern: Pray → Plead → Praise → Peace.

Once we give our burdens to God, we must leave them there.

Psalm 37:5 NASB 2020

Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, and He will do it.

When we trust God, we resist the enemy’s lies. Satan wants to distract us, pulling our minds in different directions.

He wants us to trust ourselves instead of God. But trust breaks anxiety’s grip.

3. Rest in God’s Peace – Trust His Providence

New American Standard Bible (2020) Chapter 4

and the God of peace will be with you.

God cares for you — constantly, personally, completely.

John Calvin said,

“When the light of Divine Providence has illumined the believer’s soul, he is set free from fear.”

God promises His peace will guard our hearts and minds even when we don’t have it all figured out.

Peace in Practice

Philippians 4:8–9 NASB 2020

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, think about these things. As for the things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

The state of the heart controls the mind. When our heart rests in God, peace follows. The peace of God gives freedom from anxiety; joy replaces fear.

Philippians 4:4 NASB 2020

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!

This peace flows from God’s throne. It doesn’t promise an absence of problems but gives us strength and unity in Christ. It’s a foretaste of the peace we’ll know fully when we’re with Him.

How God Provides Peace

God often helps us through people:

Counselors who offer wisdom.

The Church that carries our burdens together.

Family and friends who speak life.

Medical professionals who bring healing care.

Personal Illustration – Learning to Receive Help

I learned a hard lesson when my back went out. I wanted to keep pushing through, doing everything myself — but I simply couldn’t. My pride kept me from asking for help and even from letting God work through others.

One day, I heard something on a radio program that stopped me cold:

“When people want to help, don’t rob them of the blessing.”

That hit me. I realized there were people around me who genuinely wanted to bless me, but my pride was closing the door on their obedience to God. From that day, I chose to receive their help — not just for me, but because God had placed them in my life as His hands and feet.

When we trust God’s providence, we not only find peace, we become part of how God shares that peace with others.

🕊 This Week’s Takeaway: Anxiety grows when we hold on, but peace grows when we let go.

Conclusion

We all carry things that weigh us down — fears about our future, our family, our health. But God never asked us to carry them alone. He invites us to cast our anxiety on Him because He cares for us.

When we recognize our anxiety, release our burdens, and rest in His providence, He doesn’t just take the weight — He replaces it with peace.

So today, whatever you’re holding onto, give it to God.

Because anxiety grows when we hold on, but peace grows when we let go.

Prayer Following Sermon

Lord, we thank You that You care for us. Today, we give You our worries — the fears we’ve carried, the burdens we’ve tried to bear alone. Teach us to cast our anxiety on You and trust that Your peace is greater than our panic. Fill our hearts and minds with Your presence so that we leave here lighter, freer, and full of Your joy. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Application & Response

Action Step: Name one anxiety you’re carrying right now and pray it to God.

Visual Response: Write your anxiety on a slip of paper and place it in the basket or at the cross as an act of surrender.

Call to Trust: This week, when anxiety rises, practice casting — pray immediately and release it to God.

Charge & Benediction

🕊 Go now in peace. As you leave this place, lay down the weight you were never meant to carry. Whatever anxieties or fears try to follow you — give them to God. Trust that the One who holds the universe can hold your heart, too.

May the Lord bless you with calm in your chaos, strength in your surrender, and peace that passes all understanding.

Go in the name of the Father who cares for you, the Son who walks beside you, and the Spirit who fills you with unshakable peace.

✝️ Go in His peace — and share it wherever you go. Amen.